Improvement in fence-posts



R. H. EDDY.

Fence-Post.

No. 219,703. Patented Sept. 16, I879.

WITNESSES mvamon J 1V6; y ATTORNEYS PATENT QFFIoE.

ROBERT E. EDDY, OF LEAVENWORTH, KANSAS.

lMPROVEM ENT IN FENCE-POSTS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 2 [9,703,

dated September 16, 1879 application filed July 26, 1879.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ROBERT HENRY EDDY, of Leavenworth, in the. county of Leavenworth and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fence- Posts; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

Figures 1 and 2 of the drawingsare representations of side elevations of my fence-post, and Fig. 3 is a detail view of the same.

This invention relates to the construction and mode of setting'posts adapted for fences, hitching, trellis, grape-vine, and arbor posts.

My improvement consists in the construction and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter fully set forth and claimed.

Referring by letter to the drawings, A designates the post, which is sharpened at its lower end, so that it may be readily driven into the ground. This post I prefer to make of iron, although other metal (or wood) might be employed, and through the same, near one of its sides, I form a series of holes, b, having each a slit or passage, 1), set at an angle to the length of the post, whereby wires may be introduced into the holes through said slits, and maintained therein by reason of the inclination of the slot. Near the lower end of the post are two pivoted flukes, c 0, each formed with a flange, d, and small stop or flange e. The post is also provided with two holes, ff, which have no slots leading to the exterior of the post, and I also provide a pin, f adapted to enter either of the two said holes.

In conjunction with-the above-described devices, I employ a brace, g, which slides over the post, and which is composed of a flat metal bar, with a central opening for the post and two downwardly-projeeting spurs at its ends.

The operation of setting this post in the ground is as follows, to wit: The brace g is slid down upon the post, below the upper one, f, of the two lower holes, and the pin f inserted into said hole above thebrace. The post is then driven into the ground up to about the brace g, and during this operation the flukes which are pivoted at its lower end will be raised, and thereby close upon the post, as shown in Fig. 1. In this view it will be seen that the angles at which the flanges d of the fiukes enter the ground are not sufiieiently great to create much resistance, and that in this position the stops e clasp upon the sides of the post, and thereby maintain the points of the. flukes as far distant from the post as will be necessary to insure a spreading out of the flukes when the post is raised.

After the post has been driven down, as aforesaid, it is raised up until the lower hole, f is above the ground, and the brace g is then slid down below said hole and its spurs forced into the ground. By arranging this brace in line with the plane upon whichthe flukes work, and by making the post flat, as shown, there will be no danger of the posts sagging, since the post and flukes constitute broad bearing-surfaces, and the brace, which is at right angles to the same, effects a like result, but in different directions.

During the process of driving down the post the flukes will necessarily be spread out until the stops 0 strike against the post; and

these stops are so arranged that the flukes will not move lower than a horizontal position.

When a wire fence is to be made, the wires are passed into the holes I) through the slits or passages I), wherein they maybe more tightly held by pins, pegs, or nails. 7

The flukes c c are pivoted to the postAnea-r its lower end, and are provided with side flanges, e 0, whereby they can only attain a horizontal position when the post has been raised after having been driven in the ground.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- Iii a fence-post provided with a sliding brace, the flukes c c, pivoted to the post and formed with stops 0 and flanges 07, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT HENRY EDDY.

Witnesses:

J. L. HUNTING, W. B. FLETCHER. 

